Pet Safety - Riding In The Car

Whether you are taking your pet for a quick ride to the park or vet, or going on a road trip, car safety is no joke! In this blog, we will cover different ways to travel with your pets to ensure they have a pleasant ride and stay safe in the even of an accident.

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Options for Pet Car Travel

The most important thing to ensure your safety and your pet's safety is that everyone is safely secured within the car. Whether it's people, pets, or objects, anything loose in the car in the event of an accident can create additional hazards if it is propelled during impact. While dog car seat covers and mesh divider nets can keep your pet somewhat contained by preventing them from coming up to the front seats, it is safer if they are somehow strapped in or contained by one of the following:

Crate/Kennel/Carrier - This is typically the best option for safe pet travel in the car. Specifically, an appropriately sized hard carrier or crate with rigid walls. Not only does this method keep your pet contained while you are driving, but offers an extra layer of protection in the event of an accident in terms of providing a barrier around your pet to keep them safe and prevent them from fleeing and getting lost. Be sure that the crate or carrier is secured so it doesn't tip over or slide while driving.

Car Seats - They make special "seats" to keep pets contained. The seat usually looks like a bed or a box with some kind of attachment to keep them inside of the seat that connects to a harness* to ensure they aren't moving about the car while you are driving and will keep them from flying forward in the event of an accident.

Seat Belts - These are connectors in which one end attaches to the pet's harness* and the other end is secured around the head rest of the car seat, or attaches directly into the seat belt buckle. Similar to a car seat, this will keep your pet from moving around and protect them from being flung in the event of a crash.

*Any type of seat belt or car seat connector should only ever be attached to a HARNESS and not to a collar around your pet's neck as the force of a crash putting this type of pressure on a pet's neck could lead to serious injury or death. A harness will evenly distribute the weight around a pet's torso instead of the neck.

Avoid the Front Seat

While it's fun to ride with your best friend riding shotgun, the front seat is not the safest place for pet's to ride. Even if they are sitting in a car seat or are secured with a seat belt attachment, in the event of an accident, the airbag deployment can cause serious injury or death for pets. In the back seat is the safest place for them to be. Additionally, for the safety of all involved, we never recommend driving the car with a pet in your lap or sitting in the driver's seat with you.

Be Mindful of Windows

While we are not against rolling the windows down let you pet enjoy the wind on their face, we recommend not rolling the window all the way down and using another type of restraint like a pet car seat or seat belt to ensure they don't try to jump out. Whether the car is moving or stopped, jumping out of the window is a huge hazard to your pet and other drivers on the road.

The Dangers of Riding in the Truck Bed

We do not recommend allowing pets to ride loose in the bed of a truck, even for short distances. Not only do pets have little protection or security in the event of an accident, but they could jump out of the car while it's stopped or moving. We always recommend letting your pet ride inside of the cab of a truck. If your pet is riding in the uncovered bed or a truck inside of a crate, it's important that the crate be secured to avoid sliding or tipping over and to be extremely mindful of the weather and temperature as the lack of climate control can create other health hazards such as heat stroke. Additionally, pets may be more stressed out due to the loud noise/ wind of riding in the back of a truck, so this method of transport should only be limited to short trips if there are no other options.

Emergency Items to Keep on Hand

When driving with your pet, it's a good idea to keep a few items in your car at all times in the even of an accident or if your car breaks down. In general, a utility tool with a window breaker and a seat belt cutter is always a good idea if you find you and your pet trapped in the car after an accident. This will allow you to quickly free yourself from your seat belt, and get your pet out as well if their harness or seat belt isn't able to be unbuckled. Additionally, a slip leash (one for each pet that you own), a few bottles of water and travel/collapsible bowls, and a travel first aid kit are always a great idea.

Never Leave Pets in a Hot Car

You've likely heard this advise before, but never leave pets in the car unattended. Even if you are just making a quick stop while running errands, pets can suffer sever illness or death if left in a hot vehicle. Always make sure the A/C is running and ideally, have someone wait in the car with your pet (for example, if stopping on a road trip, take turns).

For questions or concerns please contact us at 972-347-6100.

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